Haley asks feds to speed up crop loss payments to farmers

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture secretary to speed up crop insurance payments to farmers who lost their harvests because of last month's historic flooding.

Haley asked Secretary Thomas Vilsack in a letter Monday to activate emergency loss adjustment procedures. She says the insurance claims process is slow and cumbersome despite Vilsack approving a disaster declaration for the storm that dumped 2 feet of rain on some areas of the state.

How much insurance will help offset farmers' losses is not yet known, but the payments aren't expected to even cover their costs. The state Agriculture Department estimates direct losses to farmers at more than $375 million.

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